Vol. 31 n Issue 1September, 2017

IOWA SCHOOL FOR THE DEAFbobcat t h e

Tracy Watsabaugh, who became ISD’s food services director last fall, worked with ISD dean of students Dolly Murray to introduce new foods on the ISD menu throughout the year.

Continued

Efficiency is servedFood services

Goodbye, paper, clipboard and pen.

What was once a standard feature in the ISD cafeteria to record students’ attendance at meals and ensure they had a variety of foods on their trays has been modernized.

Beginning in August, ISD’s food services started using a hand-held scanner to track each student coming through the line. ISD’s system is called Total K-12.

Tracy Watsabaugh, who serves as director of food services for both ISD and Lewis Central schools, ushered the system aboard.

“This system means there won’t be any monthly or end-of-year tallying- just printing the reports, as required by the state,” she said. “We can quickly generate reports for daily counts, daily deposits and end-of-year accounting.”

Of course we joined in on the eclipse hype! See back page for more.

Yays and nays of new food

simplifies reporting

Most schools have updated to this system. The reports are necessary for meal cost reimbursement from the federal and state governments.

ISD does not claim reimbursements for evening meals, so the system is only used for breakfast and lunch.

How it works: After students get their trays of food, they stop at a table where a food service employee ensures it is a reimbursable meal (see next page).

Older students key in their student numbers to indicate they participated in the meal. Printed student number bar codes are located for each younger student coming through the

Tracy Watsabaugh, food services

inside

Biggest new menu hits:calzones, barbeque pork and homemade meatballs, Pizza Hut pizza.

Biggest new menu misses:chicken cordon bleu casserole, pork carnitas rice bowl, fish tacos.

Judy Jetnil, 5th grade, said Pizza Hut pizza is her favorite.

Nathan Stacey, 5th grade, expresses his dislike of fish tacos.

director, has implemented the Total K-12 system as an efficiency

measure for mealtime accounting.

Upcoming events

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What is a ‘reimbursable

meal’? Like it or not, students eating ISD meals need to leave the trayline with certain food so that the meal qualifies for reim-bursement from the state.

Students must have 3 out of these 5 categories of food on their trays: - meat - bread - fruit - vegetable - milk

30 yearsDave Slaughter, Facilities

25 yearsMonica Dixon, Deaf Resource Center

20 yearsLiz Gates, TransportationKristi Wills, 4PLUSDenise Ryan, Business Office

15 yearsLaura Dorman, Housekeeping

line and then scanned by the food service employee. The system also accounts for adult meals as well, may they be paid staff, staff who are required to supervise the lunchroom, or visitors. n

Efficiency continued from front page

10 yearsKatrina Landolt, ElementaryNina Ellison, Boys DormHeidi Winger, Girls DormDeb Landolt, Elementary

5 yearsJon Simmons, Elementary & High SchoolKristina Borgaila, Deaf Resource CenterStephanie Mumm, Health CenterJulie Baker, Girls DormMallory Lawrence, ElementaryDusty Charvat, Information TechnologyScott Mauch, Facilities/grounds/housekeepingRhonda Grebert, Health CenterJim Finn, GroundskeepingMeredith Sulentic, Elementary

ISD staff years of serviceThe following employees received recognition for their years of ISD service at the all-staff meeting held in late August.

Congratulations to Kathy Oder, food services, who retired in July. Among the departments Oder worked in included the off-campus program and food service. She was hired at ISD in the fall, 1994.

Athletic and other school events can be

found on the ISD website calendar or by clicking

HERE.

Saturday, Nov. 119 a.m. - 3 p.m.

ISD’s Lied Multipurpose

Complex at Iowa School for the Deaf

Attention vendors and shoppers!

Vendors should contact Jen Herzog at 712.366.0571 orjherzog@iowaschoolforthedeaf.org

Items for sale in the past have included jewelry, pottery, bags, home decor, ASL art, accessories, arts & crafts, baked goods, candles and a variety of unique items as well as those offered by independent consultants.

Profits benefit ISD students and charities associated with children who are deaf.

rock that carries a positive

Swingin’ time at annual golf

outing

In the classrooms

message or a picture of hope and hide it where it can be found by a random person. Her class

has hidden such rocks around campus and encourages them to be found and rehidden (in

areas where the groundskeepers’ machinery won’t be damaged).

ISD continues participation in national study Last year, ISD’s kindergarten - second grades participated in a national study called, “Fingerspelling Our Way to Reading.” The study’s purpose is to learn more about teaching and improving early literacy skills with children who are deaf or hard of hearing using a special curriculum. Eighteen schools are participating. ISD will continue its participation this year with 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade students. All ISD students are active in the study this year (no control group).

Did a student lose hearing when frightened by a dog?

Thanks to auction-goer Karen Miller from Red Oak, Iowa, ISD recently received a donation of an ISD biennial report from 1893. Every student and staff is listed, as well as causes of each student’s hearing loss.

Some of those causes of deafness were cited as: scared by a dog, lightning, consuming spoiled milk, a tornado and falling down. Yes, thankfully, research has come a long way in 100+ years!

The annual athletic golf tournament fundraiser was held June 24 at Fox Run Golf Course in Council Bluffs. “We had excellent support from the community as well as ISD staff,” said Nyle Smith, ISD athletic director.

Smith said there were 55 golfers, which helped raise $3,800 at the event. He said it was an increase of about $1,500 from the previous year.

The four-person winning team members were: Steve Gettel, ISD superintendent; John Cool, ISD assistant to the superintendent; Scott Mauch; director of facilities; and Jacob Cool, John’s son.

Welcome back, Bobcat-style Megan Jones and students (left to right) Lizbet Vaca, Kaitlyn Johns, Levi Kruse, Cristian Lopez, Ethan Vetick and September Eisenauer (front) visit with the ISD mascot. The mascot welcomed back students and encouraged them to have good attendance and perform their best on assessments. When hard rock makes for an easy dayMegan Rang’s special needs classroom learned about the Kindness Rocks Project. Anyone can decorate a

Boosting school spirit with a mascot visit!

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New faces at ISD

Program is all dried up Students in Megan Jones’ elementary class will again learn how a little effort can make a big difference. They have distributed collection stations throughout campus to recycle dried markers of all brands, which are then turned into the Crayola ColorCycle Program. You can send dried markers to school with a student!

markers were recycled from ISD through this service project of Jones’ class last year.

Welcome new staff! Left to right: Trevor Ettleman, groundskeeper; Sarah Wiberg, art teacher; Hannah Ginther, teacher at the Northeast Regional Academy; Maurice Abenchuchan, Jr., residential counselor; Stacey Telgren, 4PLUS teacher for IESBVI; Megan Minatra, high school teacher; Erin Huntrods, residential counselor.

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More new staff, left to right: Rachel Koneck, school assistant

(below), formerly a residential counselor, is now an elementary teacher. LeeAnn Bradley is part-time reading specialist and

Welcomenew neighbors

The American Printing House (APH) & Iowa Educational Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired (IESBVI) Professional Library, previously housed on the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School in Vinton, Iowa, has moved to a newly remodeled area (think former auto body repair area) of the careers building on the ISD campus.

They invite all ISD staff to their open house:

Tuesday, Oct. 32 - 4 p.m.

in their new location. Refreshments provided.

During school year 2016/2017, the APH & IESBVI Professional Library facilitated1,899 APH checkouts3,840 Library checkouts

Emily Fitterer, Northeast Regional Center interpreter; and Ryan Globe, custodian.

Staff changesMallory Lawrence

part-time special needs middle school/high school teacher. Kate Kasal is returning as librarian, technology class teacher in elementary and middle school, and technology coach.

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W ith a successful pilot program at Iowa School for the Deaf last year, the Iowa Educational Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired (IESBVI) is expanding.

The first student, Aaron Mulvaney, now has a full-time job and is living independently. Three other IESBVI students have enrolled into 4PLUS this fall and are working with new IESBVI teacher Stacey Telgren. They now have their own classroom and will share ISD’s 4PLUS kitchen, and use ISD’s transportation services. The three students are staying in the ISD dorms.

ISD welcomes James Cheek, from Nevada; Thomas Rinabarger from Council Bluffs; and Aubree Dunn from Iowa City.

The IESBVI students will focus on independent living skills, a job shadowing, internships and career interests.

IESBVI 4PLUS expands on ISD campus

Kris Maxwell provides technology

assistance at the IESBVI 4PLUS

program. Coaches comment on fall athletics

FootballISD football coach Brent Welsch is focusing on teaching new Bobcats the basics of football and playing in different 6-man formations this year. “I’m hoping this gives us a chance to play more people and develop them, especially younger players, for the future,” Welsch said of this strategy in an article with the Daily Nonpareil.Graduation and students who didn’t return to ISD this fall means Welsch and assistant football coach Danny Case are changing around their rosters and counting on returning players Layne Guerrero, Jayden Kohl, Cory Jacobson and Brendan Vinsonhaler to lead the team and help shape newcomers along the way. Of the nine returning players, only four were starters last year. There are an additional five new players on the team.

The team’s first game is at New Mexico School for the Deaf Sept. 16. Seven games are scheduled; with three home games in a row: Oct. 7, Oct. 14 (homecoming) and Oct. 19.

VolleyballKaren Lechner has begun her 23rd season as volleyball coach at ISD, this

time assisted by Katrina Landolt, who played for the Bobcats as a student. According to an article in the Daily Nonpareil, Lechner stated she is looking forward to working with Landolt because she knows Lechner’s system and Landolt will “bring out the best in a group that has a strong work ethic and good attitude.”

Nine players- one freshman, and the rest juniors and seniors- make up this year’s team. The highlight of the season is always the Great Plains Schools

for the Deaf tournament, hosted by Minnesota this year. There are lots of opportunities to catch the Lady Cats at home this year.

Click HERE and HERE for athletic game schedules.

bobcatSept. 2017

Goa

For high schoolers who:

Find us on Facebook: ISDOFFICIALPAGE • iowaschoolforthedeaf.org • 712.366.0571

We’re excited, too! We are busy prepping activities, ordering food and getting sleeping and transportation details finalized for you! In the meantime, you can call 712.366.3237for general information about the weekend.

Friday & Saturday n Oct. 13 & 14, 2017

Details & registration available soon!

Are deaf or hard of hearing

SAVE THE DATE

Iowa School for the Deaf’s jam-packed-you-can’t-

miss-it weekendextravaganza!

SOCIAL

ISD homecoming weekend

Get

funfriendlyfree

CAN’T’t WAITthatlong?

Want to meet other students just like them

Speak, use sign language, or a combination of both

Are curious about Deaf Culture

with us!

Share this information with others who will benefit!

ibobcat

Sept. 2017

Employee news n We express our condolences to Monica Dixon, interpreter whose mother, Liz Doyle, passed away this summer. Dixon said her mother died July 30, just four days after turning 94.

Kindness in our community – Frontier Savings Bank of Council Bluffs spearheaded a community school supply drive for area students this fall and remembered ISD, as well.

A new backpack can go a

long way toward creating

school-year excitement!

Surrounding Larry Winum, and Mariel Wagner of Frontier Savings Bank are Kaitlyn Johns, Neil Metteer, Judy Jetnil and Kynnedi Anderson.

A very smart event is coming to Iowa School for the Deaf in February, 2018! Get ready

for 300 guests from 20 schools to visit our campus, competing in the Midwest Regional Gallaudet Academic Bowl (MWAB) Feb. 16 – 18, 2018. A huge event needs a huge amount of help. Will you help make our event a success?

Help before the event • Asking grocery stores and retail stores to donate snacks and drinks for the two hospitality rooms during the competition• Asking restaurants to donate pizzas, wings and desserts for the farewell party • Donating money to help with purchasing above itemsTo help with food requests and funding, please contact Cindie Angeroth: cangeroth@iowaschoolforthedeaf.org or 712.366.3213

Be a part of something smart!

• Work a shift on Friday, Feb. 16 (you choose between 8 a.m. and

2 days n 20 schools n 300 bodies on campus n 60+ volunteers needed

Nightmares at the taco bar – Tacos might be a delight for typical students, but with its variety of selection, could be “a worst nightmare” for students who are blind or visually impaired, said Gwen Woodward. Woodward is the Iowa Educational Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired regional director for western Iowa.

With three more students enrolling into the IESBVI 4PLUS program on the campus of Iowa School for

the Deaf, ISD’s staff needed a few

pointers on how to best assist these newcom-ers.

At the end of a morn-

ing training, Woodward

passed out sleeping masks and

had participants pair themselves with someone not wearing the mask. Pairs then navigated through the lunch line, experiencing both guiding someone through complicated menu offerings, as well as better comprehending the challenges IESBVI students endure just to get a tasty meal. Above: Diane Knigge and Rhonda Grebert of the health center and Kristi Wills and Jan Loverin of 4PLUS use the buddy system to fill their lunch trays.

Please donate money or volunteer time to make our academic competition a success!

Editor’s note: The event below is addition to the Nov. 3/4 Great Plains Schools for the Deaf Academic Triathlon, also held at ISD.

Help during the event

about 6 p.m.)

• Work a shift on Saturday, Feb. 17 (you choose between 8 a.m. and about 8 p.m.)

• There are at least four competition rooms, and 8-9 volunteers are needed in each room for:

Doorkeeping Timekeeping Running PowerPoints Team proctors Moderators Help in housing Help in transportation Help in food services Many other tasks not yet specified

To help during the event weekend, please contact Jerry Siders: jsiders@aol.com.

Sept./Oct.2015

Never before. And likely, never again, will this particular group of ISD students gather at the location in front of the administration building to view a solar eclipse. Dormitory students arrived two days before ISD began on Aug. 23. This photo, arranged and snapped by lead dormitory staff Taryn Peterson, is sure to be a classic in our archives from the Aug. 21 event. Whaddya say, group? Meet the same place, same time in April, 2024? n

3501 Harry Langdon BoulevardCouncil Bluffs, IA 51503

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PERMIT NO 546

Sept. 2017bobcat

Sept. 2017